Of Midnight Misshapes and Snacks
by TheDimensionOfWords
Summary: Stuck sharing a room on a diplomatic mission, Spock's meditation is interrupted by a commotion in the kitchen. Seems his captain has encountered technical difficulties, and the ship's surgeon is unable to help. Friendship fic.


"Bones!"

"God damn it Jim, what have you gone and done?"

Spock opened a single eye as his mediation was interrupted. They were staying on a planet for a diplomatic mission, and had been granted two rooms, one for the two main gender identities that these people understood. Sharing the male quarters with Jim and Leonard had seemed a simple expectation, but was proving to be trying now that they had passed a third day in close quarters, outside of the council chambers themselves. They had not been granted visitors' passes due to the fact they were in political conference, and it was against this planet's law to leave the building until those had finished.

"How should I know? I was just trying to get some food!" The voice was frustrated and held a distinct hint of discomfort.

"How you run a starship if you can't get a meal without getting your arm stuck, I will never know." This was spat out in a growl of long suffering.

Spock released a quiet sigh, and gracefully stood from the corner he had claimed as his own. The room had only two partial walls, one for the kitchen and one for the sleeping aria. It was in the main living space, behind a decorative screen, he had determined would be the least likely to be disturbed. Especially when his human companions were sleeping, which they still should be doing if his internal time keeping was correct.

Moving toward the kitchen, where the voices had emanated, he took an assessment of the room. The bed and makeshift nest of pillows and blankets at the end of it on the floor were both disturbed and empty. It was Jim's turn on bed, if Spock had interpreted the whispered argument correctly. Some rank might have been pulled, if only half jokingly. Spock had decided to stick with the couch like structure and his corner, keeping out of such illogical antics.

Turning the corner, he could not help as his eyebrow rose at the scene he encountered. One of Jim's arms, up to the shoulder, was in the opening that dispensed food. Leonard was trying to pry said opening apart to rescue the captain's arm. Both were in that tussled, half-awake state of human's in the early morning hours. Hair mussed, Jim was clad only in his boxers, Leonard adding to his own with his undershirt.

They looked his way as Spock cleared his throat, eyes wide in the dim light. "Do you require assistance, Captain, Doctor?"

"Jeez, what gave you that bright idea, Spock?" Leonard scoffed in reply, stepping aside so Spock could get a better look at the predicament.

"Are you in pain?" he inquired his commanding officer.

"Not really, just uncomfortable as hell." Jim smiled sheepishly, entire body sagging in defeat to his situation.

Spock figured quickly that Leonard had the proper idea, just not the strength to pull it off. Slipping his figures in the curled space Jim's arm had created in the movable, "thinking" plastic, he pulled it apart. Though it required more force than expected, he managed to open it far enough for Jim to remove his limb.

"Ah, thank you Mr. Spock," he chuckled and rubbed his shoulder to ease the tension gathered there.

"May I ask after what lead to this situation?" Spock turned his attention to the controls of the machine itself, prying them off expertly to hunt for the glitch.

"Oh, Jim just felt like feeding that tummy of his, in the dark, with alien equipment," Leonard snarked, wandering back to his makeshift bed.

"Hey!" Jim protested, but not even he was sure at what part of Leonard's remark. This caused him to pout in an immature manner. Leonard, as though sensing his response, turned and stuck his tongue out in proper retort.

"Gentlemen, please," Spock intoned, hardly glancing up from his tinkering, gave Jim's usual line when Leonard and himself had debated for too long. "I suggest we all get our sleep and put this behind us till the morning."

"…But I'm hungry," Jim pointed out, not moving back to bed. In fact, he hoisted himself on the counter top next to Spock. "Have you almost fixed it?"

"As best as I can tell," he answered, replacing the cover. "I am no expert on this planet's technology, however."

"I'm sure it's perfect," Jim beamed proudly.

Leonard made his way back into the kitchen. "No use trying to sleep with you two yacking." He grumbled in explanation.

"What do you wish to consume at this hour?" Spock questioned, deciding not to let Jim try his luck again.

"Ice cream," was the answer. Leonard's eye role in response was almost audible.

"And you, Doctor?"

There was a lengthy pause, before an embarrassed mutter of, "Same." Jim and Spock shared a look, the former trying not to laugh.

"You are lucky this has been programmed with Earth dishes. What flavors are desired?" Spock began programing the request.

"Chocolate," came Jim's answer, followed quickly by a request for "strawberry" from Leonard.

Moments later Spock handed the requested dishes to the other men. Jim smiled like a delighted child who had gotten away with a prank, while Leonard scowled in his still sleepy state. Both faces changed to surprise though when Spock pulled out a third dish, of vanilla, and joined them in their indulgence.

"Why Spock, there has to be something about this situation that defies your beloved logic," Leonard commented, shifting his weight to his toes and giving a little bounce.

"Indeed, just about every aspect does," Spock paused to take a bite. "But I have learned that it is at times better to go along with such human things than it is to fight them."

Jim shrugged as if this made perfect sense, a little bit of ice cream having already made its way onto his chin. Leonard opened and closed his mouth a few times looking for a retort, before shrugging as well and digging in to his inopportune dessert. After consuming their snacks in silence, they went back to their respective beds without a single comment.


End file.
